The final award ceremony of the ‘2023 Global Indie Game Development Contest (GIGDC 2023)‘ hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and organized by the Korea Game Developers Association was held at Amoris in Yeoksam-dong on November 3. GIGDC started as the world’s first indie game contest in 2003 and was reorganized under its current name in 2016. Now in its 21st year, it is a gateway for Korea’s leading indie developers.
This award ceremony was graced with the attendance of approximately 70 winners from 20 teams, Lee Young-min, head of the Game Contents Industry Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Yoo Hyeon-seok, vice president of the Korea Creative Content Agency, as well as officials from all walks of life.
The award categories were primarily divided into general, university, and middle and high school divisions, and the grand prize (Minister of Culture and Sports Award), gold prize (Korea Creative Content Agency Award), silver prize, and bronze prize (Korea Game Developers Association President Award) were awarded respectively.
The grand prize winners are Ingun Games’ Terminus: Zombie Survivors (general production division)’, Outdoor Unit Operation ‘BLACKOUT (college division production division),’ DOBOO ‘Honggeummonggeul Tuktaktuk (middle school and high school production division),’ Morning Bird Studio ‘Flow of Five teams were selected for ‘Sound (university planning division)’ and Find ‘Raising a Star (middle and high school planning division)’ and were awarded the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award.
The gold prizes were Spicasoft’s ‘Luminenite (general production division),’ Lizard Smoothie’s Shape of Dream (university production division),’ HBB’Life in music (middle and high school production division),’ and three-dots’fREeze (university planning division). )’, and the soup ‘Flacure (middle and high school planning division)’ was selected by five teams and awarded the Korea Creative Content Agency Award.
The silver prize goes to LIFUEL’STAND-ALONE (general production category)’, base0 ‘HYNPYTOL (university production category),’ Team Vamos! ‘Aggie Fence (middle and high school production division),’ Phobia Games ‘Mommy & Daughter (university planning division),’ 1st-year class 4 ‘I love you. Five teams were selected as ‘Customers (Middle and High School Planning Division)’ and awarded the Korea Game Developers Association President’s Award.
Dong-Eun Editor-in-Chief (THE EDITOR) ‘DECATREE GAMES (General Production Division),’ Yeom Jeong-Woo ‘Landline (College Division Production Division),’ Pong & Pong Games ‘REWIND (Middle and High School Division Production Division),’ Twaa’ Even If It’s Fire or Rain ( Five teams were selected as ‘University Department Planning’ and Hong Hyeong-min’s ‘DIMENSIGHT (Middle and High School Department Planning Category).’ They were awarded the Korea Game Developers Association President’s Award.
Jeong Seok-hee, President of the Korea Game Developers Association, said, “Works full of originality and individuality were submitted, and it was a time to meet creative and unique imaginations,” and cheered on the winners, saying, “They will play a leading role in making the Korean game industry more special and stronger.” said.
Next, Yoo Hyeon-Seok, Vice President of the Korea Creative Content Agency, said in his congratulatory address, “The game industry is contributing greatly to promoting the status of K-content, and the foundation of that industry is ‘indie games.’” He called for a fierce competition called the ⌜Global Indie Game Production Contest. He encouraged the winners, saying, “I look forward to the future that K-Game will have with all of the selected winners.”
Wonder Potion CEO Yoo Seung-Hyeon, who won the bronze medal in the college division for ‘Sannabi’ at GIGDC 2020, congratulated this year’s winners and shared his experience on the necessity of a publisher as a game developer, saying, “We will wisely solve problems that arise during the game development process and achieve the goal of release.” “Let’s reach it,” he said, giving words of encouragement to the winners.
